An Interactive 5-Day Training Course
Offshore Wind Site Characterisation for Geoscientists
Ground Characterisation for Offshore Wind Sites
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Duration
5 Days
Price
$ 4,000
Starting From
21 Jun 2027
Home Geology and Geoscience Offshore Wind Site Characterisation for Geoscientists
Offshore Wind Site Characterisation for Geoscientists
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Offshore Wind Site Characterisation for Geoscientists - GG-WIND-PEA27
| Code | Date | Time | Duration | Location | Currency | Early Bird Fee Per Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GG-WIND-PEA27 | 21 - 25 Jun 2027 | 10 AM CST | 4 Hours Per Day |
Online |
USD |
4000 |
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Offshore Wind Site Characterisation for Geoscientists
This training covers site characterisation for offshore wind. It works through foundation types and their ground requirements, survey design and phasing, geophysical methods for shallow investigation, geotechnical investigation and testing, ground model construction, soil parameter derivation, geohazard identification, cable route characterisation, integration of geophysical and geotechnical data and the delivery of ground models for foundation design.
Description
Offshore wind site characterisation addresses the upper tens of metres of the seabed rather than kilometres of subsurface, and the deliverable is a ground model supporting foundation design rather than a reservoir description. The data types are mostly unfamiliar to petroleum geoscientists: ultra high resolution seismic, multibeam bathymetry, cone penetration testing and laboratory soil mechanics. The underlying discipline, integrating sparse direct measurements with continuous geophysical coverage into a three dimensional interpretation, is the same one petroleum geoscience practises.
This training covers the subject for geoscientists entering it. Foundation types and their ground requirements are established first, since the foundation concept determines what the characterisation has to deliver. Survey design and phasing follow, covering the standard sequence from reconnaissance to detailed investigation. Geophysical methods for shallow investigation are then developed, covering bathymetry, sub-bottom profiling, ultra high resolution seismic and magnetometry. Geotechnical investigation and testing follow, covering cone penetration testing, boreholes, sampling and laboratory testing. Ground model construction is then addressed, covering the integration of the two data sets into a layered model with properties. Soil parameter derivation follows. Geohazard identification is then developed. Cable route characterisation follows. The training closes with integration and delivery.
The cone penetration test is the primary measurement and it is continuous. Pushing an instrumented cone into the seabed at a constant rate gives a continuous profile of tip resistance, sleeve friction and pore pressure, from which soil type, strength and density are derived. It is quicker and cheaper than boring and sampling, it gives a continuous record rather than discrete samples, and foundation design correlations are built around it. Understanding how to read a cone profile is the single most useful skill for a geoscientist entering this field.
Ground models are built to a different standard of local detail. A wind farm has scores of turbine positions, each requiring a foundation designed to the ground conditions at that specific point, and the conditions can change materially over a few hundred metres in glacial or channelised sediments. The ground model therefore has to resolve lateral variation at that scale, which is why the geophysical coverage is continuous and dense and why a design that interpolates between widely spaced investigation points is not acceptable.
Glacial geology dominates many of the main wind development areas. The North Sea, the Baltic and parts of the North American and Asian shelves are covered by glacial and periglacial deposits: tills of highly variable strength, buried tunnel valleys filled with soft sediment, glaciotectonically deformed layers, boulders and channel systems that cut across the stratigraphy. These create the main foundation risks, they are frequently invisible in low resolution data, and recognising them in ultra high resolution seismic requires knowing what glacial systems look like.
Finally, boulders and buried obstructions are a disproportionate risk for cables and piles. A boulder field will damage a cable plough, deflect a pile and in some cases require a position to be moved. Boulders are detected by high frequency seismic and by magnetometry where they are magnetic, and by careful examination of multibeam backscatter where they are exposed. Mapping them is tedious, it is routinely under-resourced, and the cost of discovering them during installation is far higher than the cost of mapping them beforehand.
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
- Relate foundation types to their ground characterisation requirements
- Design and phase site investigation campaigns
- Specify and interpret shallow geophysical surveys
- Interpret ultra high resolution seismic data
- Specify geotechnical investigation and laboratory testing
- Read and interpret cone penetration test data
- Construct ground models integrating geophysical and geotechnical data
- Derive soil parameters for foundation design
- Identify geohazards including glacial features and boulders
- Characterise cable routes and deliver ground models for design
The training works on offshore wind site data sets including bathymetry, ultra high resolution seismic, cone penetration and laboratory data. Participants interpret geophysical data for shallow stratigraphy and hazards, read cone profiles for soil type and strength, and build integrated ground models. Ground models are tested against foundation design requirements and against installation outcomes where available.
Organisations sending participants to this training will:
- Characterise wind sites to foundation design requirements
- Interpret shallow geophysical and geotechnical data together
- Identify glacial and boulder hazards before installation
- Specify investigation campaigns efficiently
- Deliver ground models usable by designers
- Transfer petroleum geoscience capability to offshore wind
Participants will:
- Interpret shallow geophysical data
- Read cone penetration test profiles
- Build integrated ground models
- Identify offshore geohazards
- Specify site investigation
- Work competently on offshore wind projects
- Geoscientists moving into offshore wind
- Geophysicists interpreting shallow data
- Engineering geologists on offshore projects
- Project staff managing site investigation
- Technical staff specifying surveys
- Petroleum geoscientists diversifying into renewables
- Staff reviewing ground models and site reports
Module 1 - Foundations and Their Requirements
- Monopile foundations
- Jacket and tripod foundations
- Gravity base foundations
- Suction bucket foundations
- Floating foundations and anchoring
- Anchor types for floating systems
- Ground requirements by foundation type
- Depth of influence for each type
- Design parameters required
- Drivability and installation requirements
- Scour and its assessment
- Foundation selection and ground conditions
Module 2 - Survey Design and Phasing
- Investigation phases and their purpose
- Desk study and data review
- Reconnaissance geophysical survey
- Preliminary geotechnical campaign
- Detailed investigation at turbine positions
- Investigation density requirements
- Standards and guidance documents
- Vessel and equipment selection
- Weather windows and campaign planning
- Cost and schedule of campaigns
- Integrating phases and updating plans
- Specifying contractor scopes
Module 3 - Geophysical Methods
- Multibeam echosounder bathymetry
- Backscatter and seabed classification
- Side scan sonar imaging
- Sub-bottom profilers
- Pinger, chirp and boomer sources
- Ultra high resolution seismic
- Two dimensional and three dimensional acquisition
- Resolution and penetration trade-off
- Magnetometer surveys
- Unexploded ordnance detection
- Data processing and quality
- Survey positioning accuracy
Module 4 - Geotechnical Investigation
- Cone penetration testing
- Tip resistance, sleeve friction and pore pressure
- Seismic and piezocone variants
- Penetration limits and refusal
- Borehole drilling methods
- Sampling methods and quality
- Sample disturbance assessment
- In-situ testing methods
- Vane and pressuremeter testing
- Laboratory classification tests
- Strength and consolidation testing
- Cyclic testing for dynamic loads
Module 5 - Ground Model Construction
- Ground model purpose and users
- Soil unit definition
- Correlating units between locations
- Tying geotechnical to geophysical data
- Horizon interpretation in shallow seismic
- Lateral variation mapping
- Three dimensional model construction
- Model resolution requirements
- Uncertainty representation
- Model zonation for design
- Model review and acceptance
- Updating with new data
Module 6 - Soil Parameters
- Soil classification systems
- Sand and clay behaviour distinction
- Relative density in sands
- Undrained shear strength in clays
- Parameter derivation from cone data
- Correlations and their reliability
- Laboratory against in-situ parameters
- Stiffness and small strain behaviour
- Cyclic degradation parameters
- Parameter selection for design
- Characteristic values and partial factors
- Documenting parameter derivation
Module 7 - Geohazards
- Glacial geology of shelf areas
- Till units and their variability
- Tunnel valleys and buried channels
- Glaciotectonic deformation
- Boulders and their detection
- Boulder mapping methods
- Shallow gas and gas escape features
- Pockmarks and seabed instability
- Slope instability and mass movement
- Mobile sediments and sand waves
- Scour potential assessment
- Seismicity and liquefaction potential
Module 8 - Cable Routes and Delivery
- Cable burial requirements
- Burial assessment studies
- Soil conditions for ploughing and jetting
- Thermal conductivity of soils
- Boulder clearance along routes
- Crossing existing infrastructure
- Route selection and optimisation
- Export and inter-array cable differences
- Nearshore and landfall characterisation
- Deliverable formats for designers
- Reporting standards and content
- Interface with foundation designers
Upon successful completion of this training course, delegates will be awarded an official Certificate of Completion issued by the Petroleum Engineers Association (PEA), an ISO 9001:2015 certified training organization. The certificate carries 10 Credits and formally records the total learning hours completed.
Each certificate is signed by the Course Facilitator and the CEO of the Petroleum Engineers Association, and serves as verifiable proof of professional training that delegates can present to employers and professional bodies worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
All course bookings made through PEA are strictly non-refundable. By registering for a course, you acknowledge and accept that all fees are payable in full and are not subject to refund under any circumstances, including changes in personal or professional commitments or partial attendance.
PEA reserves the right to make reasonable adjustments to course content, trainers, or schedules where necessary, without entitling delegates to a refund. Comprehensive details of each course — including objectives, target audience, and content — are clearly outlined before enrolment, and it is the responsibility of the delegate to ensure the course's suitability prior to booking.
For any inquiries related to cancellations or bookings, please contact our support team, who will be happy to assist you.
